San Francisco County Intake and Release Center

The San Francisco County Sheriff's Office operates the San Francisco County Intake and Release Center, which is one of the facilities that is part of the San Francisco County jail system. The others are County Jail #2, County Jail #2 Annex, and County Jail #3. San Francisco County Jail #4 closed in September 2020.

San Francisco’s Intake and Release Center is where inmates are booked after they are arrested. After the booking process is complete, people are either released or transferred to one of the county jails. 

Inmate Search

To find out if your loved one is being held in a San Francisco County Intake and Release Center facility, click here or use VINE (see below). 

VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday)

Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) is a free and anonymous telephone service that provides victims of crime both information and notification. VINE monitors the custody status of offenders in the San Francisco County Intake and Release Center and receives updated information every 15 minutes.

The Toll Free Number for California VINE is 1.877.411.5588. Anyone can call the California State VINE line to determine an inmate's custody status. To search for offender information, callers will need one of the following items:

• Offender name or alias
• Secondary search option (if there is more than one offender with the same name), such as:
  • Arrest date
  • Date of birth
  • Middle initial
  • Offender identification number

VINE will let callers know about the offender's current custody status, the location of the inmate, and their offender number.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

The Sheriff's Office does not allow visits to the San Francisco County Intake and Release Center. Inmates are temporarily housed at this facility before release or transfer. 

However, if you need to pick someone up after their release, you can travel to the center via public transportation (including BART and Muni buses). There is no public parking lot. So if you drive your own vehicle to pick up your inmate, you will need to allow for time to find parking on the street.

How to Call an Inmate

Inmates at the San Francisco County Intake and Release Center cannot receive incoming phone calls. However, they have access to phones and can make outgoing calls from the inmate housing area on a daily basis. 

California law has established the right of an arrested person to make at least three free local telephone calls when they are booked: one call to an attorney, one to a bail bond agent, and one to a relative or other personal contact. 

Phone calls are recorded and may be monitored at any time.

How to Send Money

If an inmate is scheduled for transfer to a county jail facility from the Intake and Release Center instead of being released, you can send money to be used at the jail commissary. This allows your inmate to purchase food, hygiene items, correspondence materials, and phone time. 

Friends and family can send cashier’s checks, certified checks and money orders via the US Postal Service directly to the inmate. The total amount cannot be more than $100. You may not send cash or a personal check.

To find out which facility your inmate is in, click here to look up the person in jail and find their SF Number. 

Depositing Cash in Person

To add funds to an inmate account in person, visit the Sheriff’s Office money window located on the first floor at 425-7th Street, San Francisco. Remember to allow time for parking. The window is open during the following times:  

• Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

You’ll need your inmate's first and last names or SF number and the exact amount you’d like to deposit. You’ll also need to show your valid government-issued, photo ID.The office accepts the following types of funds:

• U.S. dollars (no coins).
• Cashier’s checks, certified checks or money orders up to $100

You can also deposit funds 24 hours a day for anyone housed in the San Francisco County Jail System by using the kiosks located in the lobby at 425-7th Street. 

There is also a kiosk at County Jail #3 located at 1 Moreland Drive in San Bruno. If you are an approved, registered visitor, you can use the kiosk in the lobby to deposit funds for anyone housed in San Francisco County Jails during your visit.

Sending Money Online

You can send money online through Access Corrections. Start by clicking the “Send Money” button in the middle of the home page. Then, select a state (California) and an agency (San Francisco County Jail Facilities). 

The screen will prompt you to provide your inmate's first and last names. Follow the instructions to create an account and make a deposit. Fees do apply for this service.

Ordering Commissary

You may order commissary items for your inmate at any of the San Francisco County jail facilities through the Sheriff’s Office approved online vendor. The vendor will deliver your items. This is the only approved way to send store items to a person in jail. 

Programs For Inmates

The Intake and Release Center does not offer inmate programs because arrestees are not held at this facility longer than a few days.

Pictures of San Francisco County Intake and Release Center

Careers at San Francisco County Intake and Release Center

If you are interested in a career with the San Francisco County Sheriff's Department and would like more information about the job openings at the San Francisco County Intake and Release Center, click here.